Martyrs' Tomb MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Released | 2001-06-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Apocalypse |
| Set code | APC |
| Number | 110 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Anthony S. Waters |
Text of card
Pay 2 life: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn.
Honor the brave who fought, Honor the dead who fell, Honor the world they saved. —Memorial inscription
Cards like Martyrs' Tomb
Within the vast array of Magic: The Gathering cards, Martyrs’ Tomb stands as a unique enchantment capable of shielding your creatures from harm. It’s often measured against cards like Brave the Elements, which also offers protection to your creatures. While Martyrs’ Tomb requires a payment of life to prevent damage to a single creature, Brave the Elements provides a broader shield, granting protection from a color of your choice to all creatures you control without the life cost.
When considering alternatives, there’s also the protective enchantment of Sheltering Light that delivers individual creature protection with the added bonus of scrying. It’s a one-time use with a low mana cost compared to the continuous, but life-draining, ability of Martyrs’ Tomb. Similarly, Gods Willing serves a dual purpose of protecting a creature and enabling scry, but like Sheltering Light, it doesn’t offer the repeatable option provided by Martyrs’ Tomb.
Assessing the strengths, Martyrs’ Tomb provides a persistent protective option for MTG players who are willing to exchange life for durability on the battlefield. Its value lies in flexible, ongoing creature defense, setting it apart from its counterparts that are more suited for one-off protective measures.
Cards similar to Martyrs' Tomb by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Martyrs’ Tomb offers the possibility to protect your key creatures from being destroyed or removed, thereby keeping your card economy robust and ensuring you maintain the necessary elements to execute your strategy effectively.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing additional mana, the ability to protect your creatures ensures that your board presence and the investments you’ve made into developing your resources are preserved, allowing for continued acceleration and an unimpeded march toward victory.
Instant Speed: The capacity to activate Martyrs’ Tomb at instant speed grants the unparalleled flexibility to respond to threats on the fly. This reactive power ensures that you’re well-prepared to shield your forces at the most critical moments, which can be pivotal in the ever-shifting landscape of a game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Martyrs’ Tomb’s activation requires players to discard a card, which could be a hindrance when your hand is already running low on options. Every discarded card represents a loss of potential plays, making the tomb’s cost steep in situations where you need to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Martyrs’ Tomb demands a specific combination of white and black mana to cast. This mana requirement can be limiting, especially for those running multicolored decks that might struggle with mana consistency or for players who do not operate within the Orzhov color pairing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a converted mana cost of four, this artifact requires a substantial investment before you can even begin to utilize its ability. In many scenarios, players could deploy more impactful cards at a similar or lower cost, potentially placing Martyrs’ Tomb at a disadvantage against other selections in deck building.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Martyrs’ Tomb offers an adaptive advantage in decks that focus on life manipulation strategies. As a card that allows you to convert life into protection for your creatures, it can be a key asset across a variety of board states, fitting seamlessly into life-gain or sacrifice-themed decks.
Combo Potential: The protective ability of Martyrs’ Tomb synergizes with combo strategies that require safeguarding crucial creatures on the battlefield. It opens up lines of play that might not exist without the ability to prevent creature destruction, thus enabling intricate combos.
Meta-Relevance: In game environments where creature-based strategies dominate, Martyrs’ Tomb can provide the extra layer of defense necessary to outlast opponents. It’s particularly useful in matches where maintaining a board presence is crucial to victory.
How to beat
Martyrs’ Tomb stands out in the realm of MTG as a defensive artifact, presenting a unique challenge for players looking to overcome its ability to convert mana into creature protection. Unlike other protective spells or abilities that have a one-time use or provide static bonuses, Martyrs’ Tomb requires a steady stream of resources to maintain its shield. This aspect calls for both a long-term strategy and a continuous source of mana to be effective.
To gain the upper hand against Martyrs’ Tomb, players should consider disruption tactics that target the player’s mana base or ability to pay for the protective service. Strategies such as land destruction or mana disruption can stifle an opponent relying on Martyrs’ Tomb. Additionally, employing spells that remove artifacts or that can bypass protection – like those dealing non-targeted damage or having effects that say “cannot be prevented” – can be highly effective. Cards with the latter abilities generally interact with the game in a way that protection cannot shield against, nullifying the Tomb’s advantages.
In essence, a multi-pronged approach that incorporates mana denial and the correct choice of direct or unpreventable damage spells will successfully navigate the challenges presented by this particular artifact, balancing the battlefield once more.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Martyrs' Tomb MTG card by a specific set like Apocalypse, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Martyrs' Tomb and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Martyrs' Tomb has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |